The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-16
THE COLOR QUESTION.
The Way 1t Presented Itself in the
Charleston Diocesan Convention.

The Way 1t Presented Itself in the
Charleston Diocesan Convention.
CHARLESTON, May 15.-The Episcopal
brethren of the State have been discussing
the old question of color in the Diocesan
Convention, which has just adjourned, and
are as far off from definite solution as
ever, The question has been up in one
shape or another for many years, and has
produced an exceedingly unfortunate
division in the councils of the church. The
fight over the admission of lay delegates
was made ten or twelve years ago, and was
promptly settled, the convention fatty re-
fusing them admission. 1t should be men
toned that St Marks church (CharleSton)
is the bone of contention st. Marks
church Is composed of the very creme de To-
creme of the light colored aristocracy of
Charleston. Many of its female members,
in fact, are so fair that they would
pass for white in any community north of
Mason and Dixon's line, perhaps. For many
years st. Marks had white rector. The
Rev. A. Toomer Porter, rector of the Holy
Communion church, Charleston, and also of
the Porter Academy, took deep interest in
it, serving it as rector and always champion
ing its cause on the floor of the convention.
Failing in securing recognition for the lay
delegates Mr.. Porter, who is backed by the
Bishop, educated colored man, the Rev
Salters, had him ordained for the ministry,
and put him in charge. When the next
convention met Mr.. Salters' name was pre-
scented by the Bishop on the roll of clergy
which is handed to the convention annually
and which constitutes the credentials of
clerical delegates. This renewed the fight
but before the question was settled Salters
died The fight this year is upon the admis-
sion of Rev. +. NJ. Pollard (colored), rector
of St Marks, whose name is on the Bishops
roll of the clergy.
The lines are sharply drawn The Bishop
and the clerical delegates are making the
best fight they can, but they are opposed by
the laymen, among whom are some of the
most prominent legal lights of the State,
and it is not difficult 10 tell which side will
win. The vote is taken By orders, and
hence the almost impossible breach in the
church, the Bishop and clergy solidly on one
side anu the laymen solidly on the other.
The tactics of the laymen are to move to
strike the name of the obnoxious clerical
delegate from the roll presented by the
Bishop. Last year the Bishop ruled the mo-
ton out of order, and the convention adj
journed without settling it, But in the
meantime there We're sundry meetings and
conferences of the standing committee TO
decide upon the Bishops ruling These re
suited in patching up sort of compromise
which settled nothing, and which has lead
to very serious rupture in the church.
The readers of the MORNING NEWS have
already been avised by telegraph of the
exciting scenes in the convention on Friday
The day was a trying one The laymen on
one side and the clergymen on the other,
were each bent upon lighting, and the poor
Bishop had hard time trying to conduct
things in such a way as TO wound nobody's
susceptibilities. 1t is well known that Bishop
Howe is very much in earnest ON this sub
| ject. be believes that the church should
make an effort to extend its influence among
the colored people. 1t is not known, how
| ever, that he had it in his power TO defeat
| the lawyers and parliamentarians who had
been fighting him successfully for thirteen
! years by very simple and what many men
would call a justiiiab!e expedient. The last re-
sort of the laynlen in all these parliamentary
| fights was always 10 appeal from the deci
sion Of the chair and then demand vote by
| orders. In vote by orders a concurrence
| of the two orders is Necessary to pass
motion. In the fight the Bishop could have
cornered the opposition if he had announced
/ the question, "Shall the appeal be Sus-
| tained." There would have been non
! concurrence and this decision would there
/ fore have remained. But he would not do
this. He followed the parliamentary rule
| and put the question, "Shall the decision of
! the chair stand as the sense of the house.
with the result of a negative vote.
But the patience of the Bishop seemed 20
| have been exhausted, and after wealying
! day Of fruitleSs discussion he finally put his
foot down on the lawyer-so to speak-.lud
then the bolt ensued.
Tho crucial vote on which the convention
| split shows a majority of the par;shers were
with the Bishop and the secedeIs who have
kept the convention at loggerheads for so
many years III the minority. The vote was
| as follows: To sustain the Bishop, % clergy
inca and . parishers; total 81 Against, 2
/ clergyIncn and ID parishcrs; total -. Di-
] videa parisheIs, .
! Seven Charleston churches were repre-
! sented IN the convention. OF these the fol-
lowing seeded: st. Paul. ST. Phillips ST.
| Michael's and Grace church. Those that re-
{ uained were the Holy Communion, st.
l.uke's and Christ church. The Rev. r. s.
Tapin, of st. Michael's. is the only city clor-
| gyman who Joined the scceders.
The matter has created great excitement
here, and the outcome, which IL is impussi-
ble at this time to forotell, is awaited with
much interest
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